


Take My Hand Again

by PeachyQueeniee



Category: Figure Skating RPF, Olympics RPF
Genre: F/M, Humor, Ice Skating, Olympics, Platonic Sexual Tension, Reunion, Romance, Smut, ice dance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 01:13:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14884811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeachyQueeniee/pseuds/PeachyQueeniee
Summary: Something stirred within Tessa and Scott while performing Carmen at Worlds. Neither can admit it, and they refuse to acknowledge it before the Sochi Olympics. In denial, they skate on as ghosts of their former selves. After receiving silver, they go their separate ways. Attempting to distract themselves with other activities and other people. A year passes by until one day in 2015 Scott returns for Tessa, ready to remind her of everything they felt on and off the ice. Will these Olympic Games be a comeback for their skating? Or the start of a more...intimate personal journey?





	1. Chapter 1

"Shoot!"  
Tessa takes the very charcoaled attempt at a nice Turkey dinner out of the oven. This looks nothing like the photo she studied of the finished product on Pinterest...Hopefully Ryan doesn't mind too much. Maybe they'll just order Chinese food. That's acceptable right? Poor guy should've never agreed to let her be in charge of Thanksgiving. At least not the unfortunate food. 

She has the takeout menu open and the phone in hand when the doorbell to her flat rings. Oh well, at least she knows one thing she's good at... dressing for an occasion. Ryan and Tessa have been dating on and off for a few months and things aren't too serious but she figures there is no harm in having some much needed fun when there's someone to be with. Hence the matching black lace lingerie she wore especially for tonight, underneath a new red skin tight dress (because this Thanksgiving was only for two), just in case she needs to charm him away from the food, she prepared her outfit extra special for a man's eyes. 

She gives her hair and makeup one last look in the gold mirror she has perfectly lined up above her entryway table with the flowers that she loves so much. Her red lipstick is still very red, her eyelashes are still perfectly curled towards her eyebrows and she almost reaches for the door before she notices and hastily pulls out one last tiny piece of charcoaled Turkey from her long dark waves and fluffs her hair so it perfectly frames the assets she knows Ryan likes.

"Work what you got, mom always says"  
Tessa thinks on her way to the door.  
She takes one last centering breath that she was taught so long ago in order to calm down before a skate. Even though Thanksgiving dinner alone with her non-boyfriend has proved to be twice as terrifying as any competition she's ever entered. 

She prepares the most seductive lean she can muster and opens the door, ready to look up from under her eyelashes and says,  
"Ready for a meal?"

It's then that Tessa hears a low surprised choking sound that freezes her blood in it's tracks.

Scott.


	2. Hello Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost two years. Two people. Will they feel like one again? Or will they fight just to recognize the person standing in front of them?

Tessa is unaware of how long she stands there like a statue just staring at her partner. At least she thinks he's her partner. He looks like Scott, but manlier. His voice sounds huskier (although it could be because of the choking fit he just had at her appearance). His hair longer. She stares at the new waves as he runs his hands through them, obviously waiting impatiently for her to let him in. She reaches to pull the door open for him when she realizes she's supposed to be opening the door for Ryan in exactly five minutes. Suddenly overwhelmed, Tessa notices his shoulders seem broader too, she can tell by the way his shirt stretches across his chest as he reaches towards her to keep her steady. 

But his hands. They're definitely Scott's. She probably knows them better than her own hands. But then again Scott would say the same in reverse. 

Tessa notices with a start that she's pulled him inside and is gripping his hand and staring to the point where her head is almost in his palm. Another comfort tactic appearing at the worst moment. She quickly lets go and resents the pang in her stomach and her quick frown letting her know that the very last thing her body wanted to do was to let go of him. 

Scott snorts in that infuriating way that lets her know he knows exactly what she's feeling and thinking at any given moment. This makes her so angry she almost thinks she could get in his face and yell at him about how dare he show up here acting like she is still his, but realizes getting in his face will probably only end up one way. Proving exactly why he thought he could get away with showing up here unexpectedly in her life and in her flat. So Tessa just turns her back to Scott and pretends she knows what she's doing with the turkey instead. 

However, nineteen years of spending every day with the same person should have taught her that she can't lie to Scott. He chuckles again as he sniffs the air. 

"Still no Rachael Ray apparently, aye? Some things never change." He says. 

"Well some things should never stay the same." Tessa thinks bitterly while stabbing the once golden bird with the meat thermometer. Maybe this will be a voodoo turkey and Scott will get the hint and leave. 

She is so wrapped up in her bitterness (partially at herself for reacting immediately to Scott's hands), she doesn't even notice Scott come up behind her and slide a finger down her arm and take the thermometer. 

"Let me give you a hand with that Virtch. You and cooking utensils were never really a good pairing." 

"No." Tessa says, an almost squeak in her throat coming out quieter than she wanted, and tries to quickly step away and move around the white marble and wood island she forced her brothers to help her get up to her apartment.

But Scott was always faster than her.  
Hell. It's his job to be two steps ahead of her and be ready for every move she makes. Well, at least it used to be his job. It used to be both of their jobs to be this close to each other. Once upon a time this would've felt normal, routine almost. But now everywhere he touches sets her on fire in more ways than one and she desperately needs to gain control. 

"No." She says again. More definitely. Again trying to pull away.  
"I don't need a hand from you."

Scott pulls her to him leaning right next to her ear and whispers,  
"No? You don't need a hand. Okay. How about two hands?" 

And then he surprises her by brushing one along her neck to move her hair out of the way. She leans her head back slightly and shudders, against her will she might add. 

Scott chuckles again.  
Damn him. 

"T. You might want to turn your oven off next time or else it won't just be the turkey you set on fire."

He removes his hands after briefly making sure she's steady, (and far enough away from the still hot oven). Then he invites himself to sit down on a stool at the island and stares expectantly at her. Waiting for some kind of reaction. When he doesn't get one as quickly as he hoped, he raises his eyebrows in that way he knows Tessa understands no matter how long it's been.

He's challenging her.  
He knows she can't resist a competition. 

"Tess. I know many other ways to get you to talk but I don't think your little boy toy would enjoy walking into your little Thanksgiving honeymoon to find you in my arms moaning for me. Do you?"

Scott braces one arm on the countertop ready to push off and strike his prey if need be when Tessa finally lifts her eyes to him and says,

"Scott. Why are you here now? What do you want?"

He stares right back. Seems to think for a minute before nodding his head slightly in a response to a question he seems to have asked himself internally. Then gets up. He takes two strides to reach her and stand in her personal bubble in that way he knows drives her crazy.

"Isn't it obvious? I want my partner back. We're gonna be late for the Olympics if we don't start training now."

Tessa's breath hitches in her throat. 

"Scott...we agreed...things between us. They're not the same. We can't act like brother and sister anymore...I don't know how to be around you like this...I can't...I don't remember how to do this with you."

Then there's a knock on the door. 

Scott gives her one last eyebrow raise. And just before she opens the door to let Ryan in, she feels him float a hand down the curve of her spine, lean into her neck and say,

"Then I'll just have to remind you of what you're missing."

And the door opens to reveal a very emotionally conflicted Ryan.


	3. Three’s A Crowd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it out with the old and in with the new? 
> 
> Not if Scott Moir can help it.

Ryan quickly looks back and forth between Tessa and Scott, trying to assess the situation when his eyes narrow on Scott's left hand still resting on Tessa's lower back. He doesn't even have a chance to do anything about it before Scott lets out a laugh while removing his hand and says,

"Sorry man, old habit. Once a partner always a partner." 

Tessa gives him a quick glare that she knows he understands before flashing Ryan a winner's smile and making her voice as buttery soft as possible, sending over a wink and placing a hand on Ryan's chest so he has to look down at her and see that she prepared more than just the food.

"Ry, I'm so happy you're finally here. The turkey and I could really use the company."

"The burnt turkey."

Scott mumbles, annoyed at Tessa's obvious over-the-top flirting. However he notices her finally pull Ryan into the flat, lock the door and peek out the window hole twice (just to be sure, he can hear her say in his head when she explained to him once why she always double checks).

Tessa drags Ryan over to the kitchen and goes to show him the tragedy that was supposed to be their dinner while Scott takes a seat at the island again directly behind them. Ryan is attempting to comfort Tessa about how it's okay that not everything ended up perfectly  
"absolute idiot, doesn't know Tessa at all", Scott thinks, when all of a sudden she decides to bend over to show him the horror inside the charcoaled oven. 

Needless to say, Ryan's attention was no longer fixated on the food. He made a strangled noise when he realized Tessa's dress had come up almost all the way to the bottom of her spine, showing the black lace lingerie she was so excited to wear.

Tessa is oblivious to her dress and the reaction she's getting from the crowd due to still being on a rampage over,

"The stupid non-bird, bird not following instructions" and making her mess up her once pristine (aka untouched) oven.

Scott hears Ryan's noise and looks directly at the lingerie that makes his innocent little Tessa look downright sinful. Images start flashing through Scott's mind, images he first started getting when she finally hit puberty all those years ago and some of their lifts had to be changed before either of them or both of them ended up in some compromising positions and making their acquaintance known with some new and improved body parts on their partner. 

The images had been fine when he could control them because he knew she was too pure for any of the thoughts in his mind. But when they started choreographing their Carmen routine and Tessa wanted his hands on her and her legs around him and especially his head between her legs, the flashes in his mind of the things he'd like to do with her off the ice got out of control. 

Now, sitting here, looking up his partner's skirt for seemingly the millionth time...those thoughts are back. With a vengeance. And he wants nothing more than to rip that dress off of her and throw her on her pristine countertops practicing the Cunniliftus lift for real and make her a wild and whining mess. 

He starts to get up and move towards her, forgetting himself before realizing that Ryan is also staring and probably having similar thoughts. 

And suddenly Scott can't take it. Saying the first thing that comes to mind, 

"Ryan, how do you feel about Chinese food? And beer? Lots and lots of beer?"

Because the only way he is getting through this night is if he has a lot of help from his friends, beer and whiskey. 

The Beatles song starts playing through his brain when he grabs his keys off the hook Tessa put up for his stuff when she first moved in and heads to pick up Chinese and alcohol. 

He has one hand on the door, and is trying not to think about what Tessa and Ryan will do while they're alone here when Tessa yells out,

"Scott!"

He turns to see Ryan still salivating over her too-tight dress (that she thankfully has pulled down), and sees Tessa shift away from his greedy hands that are currently pulling her hair away and searching for her neck. 

Scott smirks knowing just minutes ago he did the same thing and her only reaction was to surrender to him. He thinks the night might not be so bad after all. But he isn't sure exactly how T is feeling until she calls him again and says,

"Scott! Don't... don't forget the —"

"Wine." 

He finishes for her. He knows she's gonna need to get by with a little help from her friend too. That makes him feel slightly better, and then he hears her mumble the tune 

"I get by with a little help from my friends."

He laughs again. Oddly content. Knowing even after all this time, they're still so in sync. And he opens the door to the outside hall and says with a smirk,

"I'll get your friends. Wine and chocolate. Ya know, so you can get by."

She flashes him a dazzling grateful look that reminds him of all the years she spent flashing him that same smile after a skate or after he caught her in a lift that made her nervous and he would always say,

"I'm here."

And here is exactly where he'd stay.


	4. Reunion 2.0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although Tessa was caught completely off guard by Scott suddenly appearing after almost two years, Scott had time to come up with a plan of attack. Or not come up with a plan. He’s had a lot of time to panic over creating a plan. So come along on his point of view in the Virtue Moir reunion.

Scott's Pov:

I pace around my flat for probably the 17th time in a row. Trying to work up the nerve to do what I've wanted to do for months now. 

Normally I wouldn't be such chicken shit, I mean it's not like I'm meeting someone new. It's not like I don't know her favorite movie, her favorite actress, her guilty pleasure or her coffee order (well that ones debatable...she does change her mind a lot). But still. It's been a year. The longest we've gone without seeing each other or at least speaking was two whole unfortunate months in 2008. And we both vowed to never do that again. Yet here we are.  
Almost two years later. And I've paced a track into my carpeting that I know Tessa would yell at me about if she saw. 

But she's not here. And I'm not there. At least not yet. Maybe I'll never make it there if I don't get a damn grip. 

"C'mon Scotty boy."  
(Breathe in. Breathe out.)

"You can do this. You've accomplished so much. You're not scared of anything! You're a man's man. The manliest of men. Of all men." 

Jesus if Tess heard me right now...I'd be getting an ear-full about this full on conversation I'm having with myself. 

"Yeah but at least she'd be here. Talking to you. Which won't happen ever if you don't go talk to her now." 

I say, frustrated with myself. 

For god's sake. It's just Tessa. It's just Tess. It's just the Virtch Dog, it's just...she's just... my partner. T. At least she was. We had our rough patches, I know but we were a damn good team. We still could be. I mean, we still are. If we can embrace this change in us. 

I know she's worried about the emotional aspect. She told me she wanted to take a break from the sport because she thought we should focus on other aspects of our lives and not be "defined by our skating Scott." 

But I knew better. I knew Tess better. She didn't want to take a break from the sport, she wanted to take a break from us. Something changed during Carmen. I know she felt it as much as I did. 

The chemistry felt more intense than usual. More fire. More sparks. More need. Everywhere I touched on her she seemed to melt into me and everywhere I felt her hands on me seemed to scorch right through my costume to my skin. I let out a roar. A literal roar. I couldn't have stopped it if I'd tried. I was out of control. Completely lost in the the palpable desire of the moment. And if I was lost? I knew she had to be too. And that. THAT is what drove her away. If there's anything Tessa Jane McCormick Virtue can't stand, it's being out of control. Especially in regards to us. 

Knowing she felt it too, and knowing she ran because she felt it is what finally gives my feet the courage to leave the flat and give my poor carpet a chance to breathe. 

I get in my car with a thousand thoughts racing through my head about what to say, and what to do. How should I tell her that I'm happy that we've changed? How should I tell her that I can't be without her anymore? That she's always been my partner and always will be my partner and that maybe I'm okay, no, ecstatic about the new emotions we have between us. And maybe we could use those new emotions, when we return. For competition. And maybe, just maybe, we could go to the Olympics again with all this uncharted territory now between us, and maybe...just maybe...win. Together. And then stay together. Competition or not. 

"Shit"  
I mutter to myself. 

"You've really got yourself into it deep this time Moir."

 

I'm still debating all the ways I could say what I'm feeling in a way that doesn't give Tessa a reason to throw something at me when I find myself already in her building almost to her apartment door. 

Hmm...I guess a year or two isn't enough to forget that much. So that's a good sign.

And even if I forgot, I think I'd be able to find her anyway with the god awful burnt smell that's seeping out of her flat right now. I wonder who on earth she could be cooking for on Thanksgiving, and who on earth would ask her to cook for them on Thanksgiving without having the fire department camped outside first.

I'm so wrapped up in chuckling about that, I don't even notice that I've already knocked on her door until it swings open to reveal my little innocent partner, in a pose and a dress that would make even a Saint's blood set on fire. 

"Ready for a meal?" I think I hear her say,  
(I'm in too much of a state of shock and too busy trying to contain the coughing attack that has suddenly overtaken me to really understand English at the moment), before she lifts her eyes to mine and freezes in her tracks. 

We both stand there. For who knows how long. She is assessing my unkempt hair, which gives me a chance to really look at her. 

I say about a thousand expletives in my mind as I do so. 

Here stands Tessa, my Tessa. At least I think it's my Tessa. I mean, her hair is longer, and freshly dyed in the almost black color that makes her gorgeous green eyes pop. And is of course, immaculately positioned around her noticeably positioned breasts. I almost drool before being even more caught off guard by how perfectly the dress keeps leading down to hug her tiny waist and track down along her bigger-than-I-remember curves, (am I an idiot to not have noticed her like this before?)

The dress has to be the most sinfully beautiful thing I have ever seen. Still simple and classic like her of course but a dress that a year ago Tess would've been too shy to even look twice at. 

But then again, a year ago me wouldn't have looked twice at her in it either....okay that's not true. But the me that's standing here now is having some very non-platonic feelings and thoughts about his supposed platonic partner. 

Those thoughts are what make me shove my hands in my hair, trying desperately to keep them away from her when I know I've given her quite a shock by even showing up here.  
Especially the fact that I showed up and she's certainly dressed for an occasion. 

Then I realize, she must be waiting for someone. She put this dress on to feel good in front of someone and show them. My little Tess, who seems to now be very much not little in that sense, put this dress on and cooked for a man. It's then that I see just a peek of black lace sticking out a bit from under her dress and the thought of another man coming over here probably with the intent to be with Tessa alone and take this dress off of her and see her in that lingerie just makes all the blood rush to my skull. I think I might faint, be sick, punch a wall or do something she might regret with her if I don't get the hell out of here now.

Before I even have the chance to turn around and book it, she looks faint, like she also might pass out. I react on instinct and reach out to steady her. My fingers react immediately to the feel of her skin and I feel the tingles of electricity go all the way up my arm. Before I can pull it away she has my hand in hers and is studying it in that way that means she's nervous and is trying to find something to latch onto. I recognize the calming technique immediately. In our partnership, that thing to latch onto has always been me. I snort thinking about how lucky of a bastard I am. Although I don't think I ever realized how lucky until this very moment. And suddenly, all I need is to latch onto her this time and never let go. 

I hear the door click. She's pulled me into her flat and is still holding my hand. Without ever saying a word. 

The knowledge of us being alone already makes me more on edge than I'd care to admit. But I know this is my opportunity to get her attention away from whatever douche is supposed to be here soon. I need her to hear me out. I need her to feel what she felt in Carmen, which means I have to pull all the stops and remind her of our chemistry and connection. She needs to feel the difference and be reminded that we have fire but also that we have always worked seamlessly together and no one knows her better than I do. No one knows every inch of her the way I do, and as far as I can tell, no one makes her feel the way I make her feel. So I have to do something I never thought I'd try to do. 

I'm going to try to seduce my own partner. I know she can't turn down redemption. I know she wants to be on the ice. The only issue holding her back is that (understandably) she just thinks I'll run away again with some other girl when our emotions get too much. Exactly like I did before. 

I have to show her that's not even a possibility. I have to show her that it's only her. She's the only one I want. But I have absolutely no idea where to begin, so I pull a classic Scott Moir and say the first obnoxious thing that comes to mind, 

"Well you've been busy without me huh kiddo?"


	5. An Introduction To Roxanne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That music makes me think of Tess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is now back in present time, after Scott tells Tessa he’ll get some Chinese food and chocolate and alcohol. This is him on his way. Let’s see if he makes it

I walk down the hall still smirking to myself, probably looking like an obnoxious prick all the way until I get to my car. I get in feeling a little proud of myself for getting a genuine smile already on my quest to get the team back together for the Pyeongchang Olympics. 

I know it's not going to be easy but I also know that Tess needs skating and I know if I feel like I need the next games, she feels exactly the same way. I just gotta get through to her in the ways I know how. 

She's going to want a plan. She's going to ask me if I have a plan or have any routines worked out, because normally, I wouldn't. And she knows that, damn clever girl. She can be frustratingly intelligent at times. I mean, she's always intelligent, there are just times when it's more frustrating for her to be so smart. Ya know, like when she's right about everything I do. 

But she won't be this time. Because I'm going to have a plan this time.

I just gotta come up with a plan. 

I fumble around looking for my phone. Finally finding it under a sweatshirt, I pull it out and open Spotify. 

I'll find us perfect routine music and then she won't be able to stay away. 

From the ice, of course. 

Way too many tango songs play on my way to pick up the food and the alcoholic beverages that will be assisting in a lack of sanity for the night. 

I start to zone out thinking about how long it has already taken me to get here and I'm not even at the takeout restaurant yet. I'm getting hangry and therefore getting angrier and angrier when I realize that I left that ape-man alone with Tessa, my Tessa. (Well she's not mine, currently but she has been. Or will be. Hopefully. Whenever she's done being angry and spiteful at me.)

She knows I hate it when she's spiteful, she becomes and one-upper, usually ignoring me or messing with me just to try and make me jealous by flirting with someone else. Maybe even more depending on the amount of anger. 

Figuring the math for how angry she should be this time, I get increasingly unhappy with the situation of her and "Ry" blah blah playing footsie and shit while I'm stuck in this god damn car listening to more tango music than I can stomach. 

I let out another (can you believe that, ANOTHER) growl (seriously what is this woman doing to me. And at the exact time I let out my growl, some man lets out a growl/yell in this song. 

Well that's an odd coincidence. 

I actually focus on the rest of the song and get so excited about it I turn around and start heading back to Tess, with at least enough knowledge of her to briefly stop and pick up some wine and more alcohol. I'd buy her chocolate too but since our training days, I've always kept a secret emergency stash of chocolate for her. So I grab that and the drinks when I arrive back to Tessa's and sprint to her door feeling ecstatic and very sure of myself. 

I can't really knock without dropping everything so I just slightly shift some things in my hands enough to give the doorknob a little turn and let myself in. 

I'm speaking excitedly without even barely hearing myself or having a clue as to what I'm saying. I'm assuming it's something about finding our routine music but honestly who knows for sure. 

I go to place the drinks (and the food I bought at the store, that is 100% not what anyone ordered but at least it's Chinese food) on the island, when I see them writhing away on the couch. 

Ape-man has his shirt off, his pants unbuckled and still has his stupid swanky loafers on her couch. 

Tessa would never let anyone put their shoes on her couch. Which is how I know she's not being for real. She's being spiteful again. She's letting me know that she lets him do things with her and to her (and to her couch) that I don't get to do with her or to her. 

I almost scoff and ignore the ridiculousness of how unbelievable this is when I see the pair roll over, Tessa on top now (because she doesn't trust him enough to let him take control I think to myself). 

I should look away but my eyes are transfixed on Tessa. Her dress has been taken off her arms and shoved down around her waist to reveal her bra that I know that girl is proud of. As she should be honestly. She's sitting astride Ryan and looking down on him as if he is something she's conquered. Her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders and leading down her back, seemingly pointing to those divets at the bottom of her spine that have always distracted me. 

It's no different now, I realize as I'm still staring. 

I mean, Tessa has always been the most beautiful woman to me. But she's always been just that, beautiful, pure, untouchable, holy almost. Now seeing her with her dress thrown about and her curls messed up, I see her in an entirely new light. And god damn do I want her. 

I want her now. 

Well right after I get her off this stupid lug of a man. 

I slam the bag down on the counter, knowing Ryan will probably be embarrassed that I've seen but also knowing that Tessa will feel she has won this one by making me jealous. 

Well she's right. But I'm not the little boy who gets jealous and leaves to go pout anymore. This man that I am now, is staying. And she'll see exactly how I feel when I get her alone. 

Ryan is fumbling around tripping over himself to button his pants and put on his shirt but I'm not even looking at that idiot. 

Tessa has turned very slowly around, dress still pooled at her waist and met my gaze. She has the shadow of a smirk on her face as she looks me up and down and then her eyes trail over to Ryan's face. She wants me to see all the lines of red lipstick covering his lips and his cheeks and even the trail of it going down from his neck and to his fourth button which he is still struggling to do. I can only imagine how much further down that trail goes, and the thought alone makes me feel like I could rip this island right out from the ground. But I know I have to be in control. 

I know what I want and I know how to get it. I know she wants this too. I just have to show her how it really feels to want someone like this. 

It's my turn to smirk as she finally lifts her dress back over her shoulders and pretends to look shocked that I've appeared. 

"Scott, what are you-"

"Save it."  
I send her a warning glare and see the faintest shiver on her skin and the tiny goosebumps appear on her arm leaving me with thoughts that wreck any chance of my sanity staying with me tonight. 

I look to find Ryan and see him looking like a little dog with his tail tucked between his legs. 

"It's best if you leave huh pal? Think you can find the door? If not I'll give you a hint, it's on the way to your dignity."

"Scott Don't-"

I silence her again with a look and the breath leaves her body. Fuck, this ape needs to leave right now before I lose every ounce of control I have left. 

Finally he reaches the door and turns to look at Tessa as I say 

"Don't even bother King Kong, just get the hell out."

And he does exactly that.  
I close the door with a bang of finality. And I feel every single muscle in my body tense and coil. Like I'm a hunter ready for the prey. 

I turn around very slowly and see that Tessa is positioning herself behind the island counter and catches my eye as I turn. I see another shiver and hear a slight surprised yelp as her eyes widen taking note of the dark look on my face and no doubt the bulge I have no help of concealing at the moment. 

"Tess", I say, taking one slow, measured step towards her. 

She swallows. Blinks twice. And angles herself in a position to defend. 

"Scott?" She responds, in a slightly higher pitched and breathier tone than normal. 

The very sound of it courses even more hot blood through my veins. 

"I have a plan."

I say just before I suddenly can't hold myself back from her anymore taking fast strides to reach her and make her forget all about any other man.


	6. Hiya!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does the cat chase the mouse? 
> 
> Or does the mouse taunt the cat?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smutty smut alert! Kinda? Sorta? Maybe?

Scott maneuvers around the island trying to reach Tessa, but for once she continues to be at least a step ahead of him. Probably because he’s so thrown off by walking in on her straddling some douche-canoe. 

He focuses in on her with his eyes so dark and challenging Tessa almost can’t tell where his pupils begin and end in comparison. 

The slight lift of his eyebrow and the flexing of his fingers on the counter does things she hates to admit to her bloodstream and she’s caught off guard for a split second. 

That split second is just long enough for a smirk to form on Scott’s face as he lunges at her and shoves her back flat against the wall almost knocking the wind out of her. 

Tessa has time enough to think how glad she is that she never found the right piece to hang on this patch of the wall, so there’s nothing there for them to ruin or shove aside in a moment of passion. Not that she wants a moment of passion. Right? Right? She’s not sure who she’s trying to convince in this argument in her mind but she realizes it’s already taken up a few seconds at least of time she could’ve been using to move away from Scott who is currently standing flush against her and staring down at her with a look on his face that she hasn’t seen since...since...

“Carmen.” 

He smirks and licks his lips as he finishes her unspoken thought. 

Her breathing quickens just even hearing the word Carmen fall from his lips with that look on his face, like he could just devour her right in that moment. 

He feels her heart race pick up and her chest arch into him and knows that’s her body’s response to his closeness whether she intends it or not. 

And whether he intends it or not, he can feel his body react as well. Right against Tessa’s thigh. For the second time since Scott has appeared, she looks like she might faint. He decides she’s not in any imminent danger of that at the moment so he presses on. 

“Tessss”

He drawls out as he places his right leg in between her thighs and gently separates them. His right hand is on her arm, tracing it from her shoulder down past her elbow where he catches the inside crook and passes on again all the way down to the tip of her ring finger and back again. 

She knows he’s said something. She’s sure of it, but what he said curiously can’t seem to come into focus at the moment...for whatever reason. 

“Tesssaa.” He says Again, almost sounding like a hiss but with the hint of a question mark. 

His fingers have started trailing towards her collarbone and then crept around to wrap behind her neck and support her head and ever so slightly putting pressure at the bottom of her hairline and pulling her closer. 

She tries to form a coherent response to his question, she’s not sure how long after he prompted her came her actual response. Hopefully not long enough for him to tell how much of a quivering mess she is at the moment. 

“Ye-yesscott?”  
She shivers slightly as his fingers shift to wrap ever so slightly into her hair. 

“Skate with me again. Dance with me again Tess.”

His fingers have stopped just long enough for her to attempt to be clever and push a button she knows she shouldn’t push by saying,

“Well I wasss dancing with Ryan, and if you hadn’t barged-”

Before she can even finish that sentence Scott has her front shoved up against the wall with his right leg back between her thighs, his left leg behind him helping him put his front so far into the back of her left leg he hears her gasp, his hand fists in her hair and pulls her head to the left side so he can lean into her ear and hiss, 

“You dance with me Tessa. Don’t give me that bullshit. You and I both know this only ends with us. You and me. That’s it. Ryan can go fuck himself.”

When Tessa doesn’t react or agree, Scott gets even more frustrated. This woman will be the death of him. That or the blue balls. Because right now, they could explode. But he has to make his point.

“Tess. You dance with me. You are MY partner. Now say yes.” 

Nothing. 

Scott pulls her hair back and down causing a sharp intake of surprised breath from Tessa but still no admittance that she feels this as much as he does. This stubborn woman. 

“God dammit Tess. Say yesss”

He growls splaying his left hand across her stomach and shoving her right back flat against him. She arches her back from the sudden contact and whimpers. 

“Scott, I-”

She suddenly grabs his hand, surprising him and starts to pull her dress up with it, making his eyes almost pop out of his head. 

I mean shit he knows he’s being aggressive right now, and it seems like he’s in control but god he’s about to lose his mind any second now and probably apologize a thousand times for behaving like this, but then this interesting turn of events has his throat so damn dry he thinks he might not even know how to speak right now.

Her left hand has guided his left hand to the very top of her thigh and she seems to be completely gone into her own little world, leaning back into him with her eyes closed and her legs on either side of his right leg, practically using him as a chair when very unceremoniously Scott stands up and spins around towards the counter and answers her phone (which apparently she had been oblivious to the ringing of, she’s embarrassed to admit.) 

“Hiya Kate!”  
Scott says, as Tessa realizes with horror that her mom is calling. At this. Precise. Moment.


	7. Say Yes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Tessa say yes? 
> 
> Will Scott agree to her terms if she does? 
> 
> Can they be one again?

“Hiya Kate!”  
Scott says, as Tessa realizes with horror that her mom is calling. At this. Precise. Moment. 

“Well what are Virtue women, if not punctual?”  
She asks to herself. Then decides to go back to listening to Scott talk to her mother. 

“Well yeah it’s me, duh! Thanksgiving has always been my holiday with Tess, ya know besides every other holiday. What other guy would be here?” He asks innocently while raising his eyebrow at Tess. She rolls her eyes in response and Scott starts slowly walking towards her again.

“Oh you know, the usual. It’s just like any other day. We eat some food Tess thankfully hasn’t cooked...”

He gets closer. 

“We reminisce about the good ole’ days.”

Closer. 

“This wall and I are getting very well acquainted tonight.”  
Tessa half chuckles, half nervously states to herself. 

“And we shoot the breeze.”

Scott has her against the wall again, right leg blocking her on one side and left arm leaning above her on the other side.

“Oh yeah, T is right here!”

Scott says enthusiastically, and then pulls Tessa completely against him so she can hear the phone pressed up to his ear. Even though he really could put it on speaker phone...but it IS Scott, so whatever chance he gets, he takes.

 

Tessa is really trying to focus on what her mom is saying to her but Scott’s left hand has started creeping to the bottom of her hem again and is pulling it up, very lightly pressing his fingertips into the sensitive parts on the back of her thighs on his travels up towards that underwear he’s been dying to see. Scott hands Tessa the phone so he can focus on the task at hand. Tessa just about groans realizing what he is doing but knows her mom is too curious of a person to not ask what she’s groaning about, and seeing as Tessa can’t think straight at the moment, she doubts her excuse would be very believable. So she again tries to listen.

Kate is very animatedly asking Tessa why she didn’t tell her Scott was back. 

“Why didn’t you tell me? Oh we’ve missed Scott! I mean that boy can work wonders!”

Tessa’s starts to laugh at the irony of the statement in that current moment but her breath hitches in her throat before she can, because Scott has pulled her dress all the way up and is now admiring her underwear. 

She doesn’t actually mind. I mean, he’s seen her in underwear before and she did spend a good chunk of money on these just hoping that someone would see them so, why waste them?

She realizes she’s stopped listening to her mom again and tunes back in. 

“I mean Tessa honey, we of course support whatever makes you happy and I know you’d been seeing that boy Ryan sometimes and I’m not saying he’s all bad!”

Scott has grabbed both hands around the backs of Tessa’s thighs and is on his knees bent down now directly in front of her, and by god it takes all of her energy to focus on her mom’s babbling instead of Scott Moir being between her legs right now. 

However, Kate is still blissfully unaware of the almost imminent explosion that’s about to occur on Tessa’s part if her frustratingly talented (in many ways) partner, non-partner doesn’t get out of her personal bubble soon. 

So Kate continues, 

“Darling of course Ryan seemed nice and god knows he was different if that’s what you’re going for. But Scott is Scott. He always will be. I mean he knows you. He knows what you’re thinking. He knows what each facial expression means. He knows what you want to eat before you know what you want to eat. He can quote your favorite movies by heart just because he sits with you every time you want to watch. And sure I know sometimes you get heated because his mouth can go a mile a minute and-”

Tessa gasps as she feels the hum of Scott’s laugh on her inner thigh. Hearing her reaction, he’s immediately encouraged himself to put that mouth to use and do exactly that, just outside her underwear line. 

She realizes faintly that he’s giving her a hickey. Possessive bastard he is. 

Scott hears her gasp and looks up at her, his hair a mess. His pupils blown. Lips glistening. 

“Say Yes, Tessa.”

He says, gripping the back of her thighs harder, threatening to put his mouth to use somewhere where he knows he can get her to say whatever he wants to hear. 

His mouth is inching closer. 

They can both hear Kate repeatedly asking why Tessa is gasping. 

“Is it the food Scott? You know sometimes that spicy chicken is a little too spicy for her, but you know that of course, I mean obviously you do. Are you guys okay?”

Scott is still staring at Tessa, begging her to say yes. But he still calls up to Kate and says, 

“Yeah just a little spice in the chicken, don’t worry I’ll take care of it! But meanwhile, can you help me explain to your stubborn daughter here that she wants to say yes?”

Scott explains to Kate what he’s asked of Tessa and Kate starts yelling with excitement and gathering the family to tell them the news and have front row seats to Virtue and Moir deciding to make an Olympic comeback. Tessa barely hears them because she is too busy staring down at Scott still dumbfounded that it’s him. That he’s here. Kissing her thighs. Looking at her in that way they swore to avoid. But it’s still him. It really is Scott. Here. With her. Asking her to be his partner again. Asking her to skate with him, to dance with him again. To start again. To go to the Olympics again. The worst part is that she knows she wants to, and she doesn’t know exactly what’s holding her back.

No. That’s a lie, she does know. She knows that if they go back into Olympics mode, there can be no distractions. I mean that’s how it’s always been. At least that’s how it’s always meant to be. Even though there are always distractions. At least for Scott. Plenty of nice-smelling, perky distractions for him all the time. Not that he always noticed or cared, but he had his girlfriends. And Tessa just had him. At practice. So distractions were never a problem for her. 

But now, looking at Scott Patrick Moir. The man she’s had an on and off crush on since she was six years old, the man she trusts with her life, is sitting between her legs and asking her to say yes to something she desperately wants to say yes to. Yet all she wants is to be distracted. To be distracted with him. Now. Tomorrow. The next day. And she thinks she won’t be able to make a comeback with him if there’s another distraction waiting for him somewhere else.

 

Not with the way she feels about him now. They have to face this now. 

She can still hear Kate and her family on the other end of the phone rambling about getting the gang back together and she even hears Alma Moir and realizes her mom has rallied the Moirs too and just the thought of everyone as one big family again, and the thought of being with Scott again and having him finally looking at her the way she’s looked at him since they were kids, she’s just overcome. And before she can stop herself she has a hand in Scott’s hair trying to blink back a single tear and is saying, 

“Things have to be different this time. It has to be you and me. It has to be more personal. I want to know why we are doing this. I want to feel every day like it’s you and me. Not the versions of you and me playing marionettes for someone else. And there can only be one distraction.”

Tessa looks at Scott hoping to god he understands what she’s saying and feels the same way. 

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise and he hugs his head to her stomach and very faintly rubs his lips right around where her belly button ring is letting her know he knows exactly what distraction is allowed and that he is completely on board with it. 

He stands up, pulls her dress down, and says loud enough for everyone to hear,

“So we’re in agreement? We’re doing this?”

Tessa understands that he’s asking about more than just the Olympics, so she searches his eyes letting him know she is responding to more than just the question he asked out loud as she nods and then remembers they can’t see her through the phone and says,

“Yes. Yes we are doing this.”

Seeing Scoot’s whole face light up and hearing the cheers and the Canadian national anthem being sung through the phone, Tessa feels her smile reach all the way to her eyes for the first time in a long time and she nods again to herself. Just to confirm that yes, yes they really are doing this. 

She meets his eyes, they connect and in 3,2,1,   
They breathe. 

Together. Again. 

————————————————————————

Well aren’t they the cutest ? Wow I love them.   
Anyway, I’m trying desperately to figure out how to do this time jump because I 100% do not have the patience to write out everything for the rest of the time leading up to the Olympics in 2018.   
I might do a countdown type situation (which would require a lot of math or just research in general about their schedules and such lol). But maybe have little moments of theirs that they shared at different moments in time leading up to the Olympics. 

OR

maybe skip to the games and have Tessa and Scott have like a montage of flashbacks of moments leading up to the Olympics. 

Let me know what you’d like or any thoughts you’d have! They’re all completely appreciated !!! I’m a bit stuck at the moment lol so send help! Anyway, thanks as always, for reading. Stay lovely! xoxo. s.


	8. I Just Want Your Extra Time and Your...Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tessa has said yes to their comeback and their partnership picking up again. 
> 
> But Scott has said yes to uncharted territory by agreeing to their partnership becoming a bit more...involved. 
> 
> Now Tessa gets to find out exactly what she’s in for as they begin to explore their new boundaries and enjoy some new perks of their partnership.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a few weeks or so after Scott’s return and the agreement on both of their parts.
> 
> The next few chapters are going to basically be one-shots of important or fun or just smutty moments in time leading up to Pyeongchang. Because why not?

Scott and Tessa arrived back to Tessa’s flat after having just met with Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon about their comeback and asked them if they would be interested in being apart of their new coaching staff and team. 

Of course they had been ecstatic and Patch had chuckled as Marie-France went back and forth hugging Tessa and Scott and chattering about how she’d always hoped in the back of her mind that this would happen, and she has so many ideas and she knows they’re going to be a big happy family. 

With that out of the way, some of the tension has left them both and they’re slowly easing a bit more into each other again. 

Initially, the discussion starts logical enough, as they discuss some new techniques they want to try on the ice. And then they start comparing the pros and cons of incorporating some of Dubreuil/Lauzon’s style into their own. 

They decide to feel out a few moves they had seen Marie-France and Patrice do, after Scott rearranges Tessa’s living room furniture in order to give himself space to “work his magic.”

He’s doing some stretches as Tessa walks over to her iPhone, connects it to the speaker and hits shuffle on her Spotify.

As she does a few stretches of her own by the kitchen island, she worries about what song is going to come on after the advertisement. 

“It’s just Scott.” She has to remind herself. But things have been so edgy since the night they announced their comeback to their families. Platonic Ice Dance Partner-wise, things have been going swimmingly. But Tessa and Scott-wise? Tessa has been working harder to not stare at Scott’s broader shoulders when he reaches for things, and she’s had to pretend not to notice when the hairs on her arms stand on edge when she can feel him standing in her space. Even now, she finds herself licking her lips as she watches him do lunges in her living room. 

Thankfully “Hand-Jive”, from Grease comes on and she is broken out of her trance by the snort coming from Scott at her taste in music. 

“Seriously T? Grease?”

“Yes. It’s a classic! Plus you could learn some tips from Danny since you have all that hair now.” Tessa says. 

Scott laughs and reaches out for her hand so they can try some of Patch and Marie-France’s lifts. Tessa starts going through the pros and cons again as they try a lift that requires Scott to throw Tessa around his midsection, catch her and throw her again. 

Pro: Tessa kind of feels like she is flying.  
Pro: Scott feels pretty badass.

Con: Tessa is kind of worried about all the expensive things in her apartment...and about the fact that Scott is not exactly 6 foot tall like Patrice.  
Con: Scott is cursing every beer he has ever had, and the fact that Patrice gets to be 6 feet tall.

Scott’s wrapped up in his mental argument over what he did wrong in order to not be over 6 foot, and forgets to pull Tessa back around his front. It surprises him when Tessa haphazardly lands sideways on one of her white loveseats and immediately starts laughing.

“Tess, I’m sorry. Wait, what’s so funny? I dropped you. Oh is that it? Did you hit your head? Oh shit, okay we can go to a hospital or-“

Tessa is still giggling to herself when she replies,

“Scott, if you weren’t liking the lift, you could just tell me. Although I guess subtlety isn’t one of your strongest characteristics huh?”

Scott quickly scans to make sure she is actually okay and then allows himself to laugh, picturing how silly they probably looked. They start into another Dubreuil/Lauzon move that requires Scott to swing Tessa flat under his legs for momentum and then pull her back and hold her straight above him before she has to slowly place herself down while basically rubbing her front down his as she goes.

Pros: Tessa gets to swing around again.  
Cons: She has to come down and stop staring into Scott’s eyes.

Pros: Scott still feels badass.  
Cons: He doesn’t want to stop looking up at the pure smile on her face.

However, they begin her descent anyway. Just as she begins to let herself down, they both seem to realize the song had changed at some point and the song is now at the chorus of “Kiss” by Prince. Naturally, Scott immediately starts singing along as he is lowering Tessa. 

Pros: Scott singing Prince to her.  
Pros: The goosebumps she gets as she can feel every hard muscle of his on her path down his body to reach the ground.

Pro: Her smile when he starts singing to her  
Pro: The shiver that runs through him as her body molds into his on her way down. 

“You don't have to be rich to be my girl  
You don't have to be cool to rule my world  
Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with  
I just want your extra time and your-“

They realize at the exact same time, that her lips are directly in front of his. Scott looks at Tessa for a split second before finishing “kiss” in a voice that’s huskier than the voice he had just a minute ago. 

He waits a second before giving up after Tessa licked her lips and stared at his in turn. And then it happens so quickly he barely feels himself wrap her legs around his waist and walk over to rest her on the marble island she’s so particular about keeping clean. 

“Well go big or go home.” Scott thinks to himself and chuckles against her mouth. 

Feeling her hum in response, his chuckling immediately ceases and he has a hand in her hair, pulling on it to expose her neck to him, desperate to feel that noise against his lips. 

He is kissing all over her, leaving trails from behind her ear down along her shoulder and her arm and she thinks she might be going into sensory overload from how strong the feeling is in her gut for him. She knows she’s getting desperate for more and wonders if he is as well. 

As if in response, Scott seems to get frustrated with just her shoulders and her arms and he pulls her tank top off over her head, and slides her right against him on the edge of the island. Tessa lets out a small gasp as she feels exactly how much he wants it as well. 

Scott pulls her hair so her head is parallel to the counter and Tessa wonders for a second where he threw her tank top before all thought is completely forgotten when he kisses the hollow of her throat, in between and above her collarbones. As if that wasn’t enough, suddenly she feels his tongue dart out to lick that spot and begin to suck right below it. 

Tessa doesn’t want anyone to ever know what sound she makes in that moment. All she knows is that it earns a guttural noise from Scott that makes him immediately pick her up, rip her pants and underwear (dammit, she liked that set) down to her ankles and puts his hands around her thighs before licking his lips, and getting down on his knees in front of her and hooking her legs over his shoulders. 

She realizes with a start and an explosion of butterflies (or bricks) in her stomach that the bastard was about to do their cunniliftus move for real. He watches the realization set in on her face and sees her green eyes darken before he raises his eyebrows and lets out a salacious grin and gives her one hand to suck on while he goes to work. 

Pro: Scott. Between her legs. His fingers in her mouth.  
Pro: Imagining a great routine to “Kiss”, on the ice. 

Pro: Tessa. With her legs spread for him. Her mouth, warm around his fingers.  
Pro: All the ways they could skate to this song, and have these memories while doing it. 

They make eye contact for a second, and realize they’ve just agreed on a song. 

Scott wiggles his eyebrows just before the last time Prince sings “kiss.” And continues to do exactly as the song suggests.


End file.
